Between the posts he showed confidence, in the locker room he holds the group’s cash: a season as a protagonist
One from Toro. It was immediately understood that Alberto Paleari had the right spirit to wear the granata shirt, since he arrived in the summer of 2024 to support Vanja Milinkovic-Savic. The championship that has just ended has shown that the number 1 on his shirt is no coincidence. Paleari was Torino’s goalkeeper for most of the season, from the 8th matchday of Serie A to the 12th and then from the 15th until the end. He had never played so much in the top division. He collected 9 clean sheetslike his teammates, he experienced difficult days – above all, the two matches against Como -, but the balance remains positive, for what he showed on the pitch and for what he demonstrated off it. He is the “treasurer” of the locker room – he is the one who holds the cash with the fines paid by his teammates – but his role goes further: this year too he encouraged his teammates, supported them, joked about them. And he always explained to everyone what it means to play in the grenade. “We are still Torino, let’s remember that” he said in December, when the team was trying to restart after a difficult period. Awareness of the club’s history and sense of belonging are values that Alberto embodies and which the Granata environment does not want to give up.
signals
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Last summer, in the training camp in Prato allo Stelvio, Paleari sent the first signals. The desire to improve is a constant in his career, but in those weeks he had demonstrated an uncommon “hunger”. Israel’s arrival hadn’t changed his attitude and so, day by day, he gained opportunities. The first came in the Italian Cup, when he was deployed in the round of 32 with Pisa and in the final he defended the lead with a splendid flight over Tramoni. Then also in the championship: Israel’s injury against Napoli gave him the starting spot against Genoa, for a memorable victory (2-1). That day Paleari made two sensational saves, first on a free kick from Vitinha that was missed by Ekuban and then on Cornet. He then retained ownership with Bologna and Pisa, was the protagonist in the first leg derby against Juve, sealing the 0-0 with three interventions on Conceiçao, David and McKennie, a performance rewarded with the man of the match trophy: “The Torino shirt is a heavy shirt, but it gives you a lot – he would have said in those days -. The fan is happy if a player never gives up. I identified with this from day one”.
continuity
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After Israel’s brief return, Paleari has never left the Torino goal since the 1-0 against Cremonese on 13 December. Until the derby on Sunday evening, once again positive even if the victory did not arrive. “The dream would have been to overturn it – his comment -, next year we will have to try to win it. This year I could have done better in many things, I’m a rookie at 33. I’m watching the TV series on the 1976 championship and hearing Cazzaniga excites me: he also entered a derby. When I arrived here he told me to enjoy it, that it would all be beautiful. I know what I did best and what I did less well, I enjoyed this adventure”.
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